How to Achieve a Cohesive Look Through Design

In all of my designs, I aim to create living spaces where you can relax and escape from the world's pressures. Whether it's a complete home transformation or the redesign of just one room, my goal is to create a true sanctuary for my clients. Many different elements go into interior design, but the cornerstone of every project we take on is to create a sense of cohesiveness with a home.

What does cohesiveness mean as it relates to interior design?

Cohesion means that all elements selected for a design work together towards a common goal. At our South Florida interior design firm, we focus on creating a particular feeling for our clients. This ranges from a bedroom suite that evokes a sense of relaxation to a lively space fit for entertaining. We hand-select pieces in every design to create a cohesive feel by bringing together various elements that complement each other.

Here are some of my tips to bring cohesion into your home:

Less is More

As you know, I love minimalistic style. While minimalism is considered its own design style, using this approach can help create cohesiveness in your home. First, try to determine which items you love and let go of those you do not. Once you have established a clean slate, go about filling your house with items you hold dear to your heart. Avoid clutter and keep in tune with the overall color scheme of your home.

For this master bedroom, we focused on selecting items that remind us of the natural world. Using a neutral pallet and natural wood tones, we created a space that mimics nature. Providing our clients with a place of solitude to decompress from everyday activities.

Mixing Materials

When designing a space, it is common to believe that all materials have to "match" - meaning, if your side table has silver accents, then your coffee table, barstools, lamps, etc., must also have the same silver finishes. We strongly encourage our clients to steer away from matching every piece. By mixing materials like woods, metals, and fabrics, you give dimension and interest to spaces and can, in fact, pair nicely with each other if done correctly.

In this kitchen, we mixed white painted cabinets with dark floating wood shelves and complemented the contrast using a backsplash that pulls both colors together. Instead of matching every piece, we have created cohesion by carefully selecting various elements.

Cohesion Through Color

I like to choose color palettes for the entire home that complement each space and its elements. Keeping a consistent color scheme throughout your home allows for seamless transitions from room to room. I then bring color dimension into each space through artwork, plants, bedding, lighting, etc. Combining mixed materials and color schemes produces a layering effect that brings a design full circle.

Based on client preferences, we create a mood board to guide our selection process. We start by choosing a color scheme that serves as a reference to determine what materials we will use for cabinetry, millwork, furniture, etc.

Avoid Matching Sets

While it may seem easy to go online and buy matching sets of furniture, you may regret it in the long run. Matching piece for a piece can take away from a well-balanced and cohesive yet dynamic design. It is better to have a mix of elements in your home so that your style can shine!

Lifestyle Note: Remember to set a routine for your day-to-day activities. Cohesiveness can apply to your life as well and help you attack the day with ease. Plan, Prep, and Execute.

For example, I am not a morning person . . . not even a bit. So I have had to train myself to wake up early each day. I did this by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. This is what creates a positive continuous pattern in my day-to-day life. On another note, you should always start the day by making your bed. If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into several completed tasks.

I hope you found these tips useful and guided you on how cohesiveness relates to home design and your life. If you would like to discuss further how to achieve cohesion in your home, please contact me today: kelly@kellymarieinteriordesign.com.